Wichita voters will decide in March whether to enact a 1% city sales tax for the next seven years. The revenue would be directed at public safety, housing and cultural investments.
Here are some basic facts about the proposal:
What will voters be voting on?
Last month, the Wichita City Council unanimously voted to call a special election on a sales tax plan from Wichita Forward.
The group — founded by Aaron Bastian of Fidelity Bank, Ben Hutton of Hutton Construction and Jon Rolph of Thrive Restaurant Group – is calling for a citywide sales tax that would run from July of this year through June 2033. Group leaders say it would generate $850 million.
Do we know where that money would come from and where it would go?
The tax would be added to everything already taxed through state sales tax, including groceries and residential and agricultural utilities. It calls for the city to spend up to:
- $225 million for public safety, including new police equipment and renovated fire houses
- $225 million to expand the Century II Expo Hall
- $150 million for an investment account to be used by Second Light, the city’s new multi-agency homeless center, and for affordable housing projects
- $150 million for property tax relief
- $75 million for a new downtown performing arts center
- $25 million for the “revitalization” of Century II
How were the categories selected?
That’s been a common question among attendees of the public information sessions about the proposed tax.
Wichita Forward says it surveyed residents this fall about their priorities and concerns for the city. The group says about 500 Wichitans responded to the poll and those results, along with previously conducted city polls, helped identify investment areas.
Wichita Forward also consulted the city’s upcoming commitments from its Capital Investment Plan. The group also notes that pandemic relief funds allocated by the City Council to kickstart Second Light will run out in October.
“These are not new issues. They're common pain points voiced by Wichitans,” Bastian said. “This is our chance to make critical investments in Wichita. We need solutions. This proposal is a solution, an investment in us by all of us.”
The way the ballot measure is written, the city could not direct the tax revenues anywhere other than the areas noted.
Has Wichita Forward said what the Century II enhancements or the new performing arts center would look like?
Not exactly, which has been an major issue of concern for some residents.
Among those concerned is John Whitmer, chairman of the Sedgwick County Republican Party. He addressed the city council outside of his capacity for the local GOP last month.
“Where are the details? Where are the schematics?” Whitmer said. “You're asking Wichita voters to commit to a seven year plan that by the time inflation factors in, will be over a billion dollars…The devil is in the details and this devil bites.”
Wichita Forward leaders have said they are not a “subject expert” and did not pitch the new tax with a project in mind for the performing arts center.
The lack of details, specifically on how potential sales tax revenues would be used with a private match for the performing arts project, has given city council members pause as well.
At the request of Mayor Lily Wu, council members spent their last meeting of the year debating how to put additional restrictions on when tax dollars would be spent. Those conversations were tabled so staff could further develop a proposal that will be discussed later in January.
What’s coming up next with the sales tax proposal?
The public opinion campaign has really kicked off since the start of the new year.
Save Taxpayers Vote No, a new group comprised of critics of the proposal, launched its opposition campaign with a press conference this week. The group — which features several members of the Save Century II movement — plans to hold an open house from 5 to 7 p.m. on Jan.15 at the group's campaign offices at 3330 W. Douglas.
The Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce will host an informational event on the proposal at Newman University from 8 to 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 21st.
A representative for Wichita Forward said the group plans to visit several local groups in the coming weeks and present the proposal, though they shared no plans for additional public presentations. Wichita Forward began a local commercial ad campaign in late December and a new website with the slogan "watch Wichita win" launched around the same time.
City Council members are expected to discuss additional details of the sales tax proposal and plans for "guardrails" at a workshop on Jan. 27.
